Lead Me Not Into Temptation
by Mr. Peabody Hawke
Summary: [FE8, slash] He called it the Age of Hope. Yet now that he knows what he wants, it seems like he'll never be able to get it. But who knows? Maybe a little army reunion will bring a few things into the open. After all, Ewan has to tell him sometime.
1. Monochrome

_Eva Kasumi 09/01/05  
Fire Emblem and its characters belong to Nintendo and, um, Intelligent Systems? Whatever, they're not mine.  
Warning: This story will contain both shounen-ai (slash, m/m, what-you-will) and het couples. If either of these offend you, please leave now. You have been warned. Past this point, I have the right to say "I told you so."  
Huge thanks and muchos love to Amethyst Bubble and Empress Dotdotdot for being my betas.  
_

**  
Lead Me Not Into Temptation**

Part One : Monochrome

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It was the stuff of legends. The War of the Stones, as it came to be known, when the heirs to four of Magvel's royal families united and, with the help of their colorful army of friends, came up against the fifth. Together, they overcame him and destroyed of the cause of his corruption, the Demon King of old. Under the command of the royal twins of Renais, the continent was freed from the drawing darkness and, with their hard work and patronage, spurred forward into a new Age. It was not long before the people had christened it the Age of Glory.

But there was a young mage, who had been among the party that saved the world from its fate, who had his own name for it. He called it the Age of Hope.

_--- Ten Years Later ---_

"Ewan? Did you hang out the rosemary I brought in to dry?"

Ewan grinned to himself as his mentor's voice floated in from the other room. "Yes, Teacher," he called back, without looking up from his task, "And the vervain." He paused and counted to three, opening his mouth to continue just when he knew the next question was coming. "And I collected the melted candle wax. And I brought in the washing. And I practiced Valega."

His last statement was met by Saleh's appearance in the doorway. The man paused as he realized that Ewan was chopping vegetables at the table and shook his head, slate-colored ponytail waving gently. "And you've started supper. I really don't give you enough credit, do I?"

Ewan smiled at him and shrugged amiably. "Can't say I blame you, with all you've put up with to get me this far."

"You have always deserved more credit than I have given you, Ewan. I couldn't ask for a more dedicated, talented student."

"That's not what you used to say about that Lute girl," the red-head teased, wagging his knife at his teacher.

"While Miss Lute was exceptionally talented, she lacked a certain… propriety that her personality couldn't do without," Saleh replied, collecting the plates from the cupboard. "Besides, I don't think she would have wanted a teacher nor appreciated the insinuation that she needed one."

"'Maturity comes with age,'" recited Ewan, "You taught me that, Saleh."

"I repeated it to myself as a mantra when you were being particularly excitable, is more like," the sage grumbled, but he returned his smile nonetheless.

"Still, I'm sure Lute is a lovely young lady by now, with an equally lovely disposition. Who knows, she may even be married!" He slid the vegetable slices onto skewers, along with some meat he had diced earlier, and placed them on the grate positioned over the fire for just that purpose.

Saleh made a noncommittal noise as he watched from his place at the table. A thoughtful silence reigned as the skewers sizzled away merrily, and after a few minutes Ewan removed them and divided them between their two plates.

"I wonder what she's up to," mused Ewan as they ate. "I wonder what all of them are doing now, don't you?"

"Occasionally."

Years of being in Saleh's company had taught Ewan not to take his brusqueness to heart. The sage had been raised rather remotely from other people, and he was not adept at light conversation or at bringing himself to voice his feelings on matters. He was a spectacular teacher, a thoughtful listener, and, Ewan had come to find, he was the most interesting person to talk to when in the mood to do so. Even when he wasn't, Ewan enjoyed simply being in his company, and had learned to speak for the both of them – something he had seemed apt to do from the start.

Ewan was washing the dishes in a bucket of heated water and Saleh was standing by the window watching the light fade when the silence was finally broken again.

"Do you miss them, Saleh?" Ewan asked quietly.

For a long moment the sage did not reply.

"Saleh?"

"…Yes. I miss them."

Ewan stopped scrubbing and looked up at his friend and teacher with a searching gaze. There was a pause.

"But, you know," Ewan ventured, "I can't think of any other way I would rather live. Here, I mean. With you."

Their eyes locked for a minute, and there was a different energy there than what they usually shared, one that seemed to carry a meaning that got lost in the distance between them. Saleh looked away first, returning to his silent vigil of the dusk, and the red-head repressed a sigh as he resumed his chore.

"We have a visitor," said Saleh suddenly, indicating the window. A moment later Ewan caught the lilting strains of a voice lifted in song.

"_Afternoon is hazy, river flowing, all around the sounds moving closer to them…_"º

"Tethys!" he shouted, leaping to his feet and knocking over the bucket of dishes and dirty water. "Oh, for crying out loud!" He set the bucket upright and muttered a spell under his breath, waving a hand over the spilled puddle. It vanished instantly, and he raced out the door, vaguely registering Saleh chuckling from the window.

"_…dreams they never knew–_"

"Tethys!"

"Brother!"

Upon reaching her, he grabbed her by the waist and swung her around, laughing heartily. "Ewan!" she cried when he set her down, "I swear you get taller every time I see you! Aren't you done growing yet?"

"I've been done for years, sister-mine," he grinned, "you're just getting shorter."

She smacked his shoulder and grinned right back. "Come on, invite me in, you lout. I've been traveling all day. Offer a lady some food, won't you?"

"Of course. If you see one, let me know."

"I swear, I don't know how Saleh's put up with you for so long."

"He's not related to me."

"Ah yes, that was it." She regarded him with a raised eyebrow, tapping her foot.

"All right, all right," he grinned, ushering her towards the house. "I'll fix something up for you. Gods, but it's good to see you again." He turned and hugged her abruptly. "It's been nearly six months since your last visit. I never know where you are; always off on missions with Gerik and the crew. I worry about you, you know."

"Oh, don't fret so much. I can take care of myself, you know that, and I'm in good hands with the Guild. Besides, Marisa's been teaching me to hold my own in a fight, should it come to that. Dancing isn't the only thing I'm good for."

"_Marisa_'s been teaching you?" gaped Ewan.

"Her social skills have gotten much better over the past few years," Tethys replied, "though she's still not much for casual conversation. But she's a sweetheart, even if it isn't always obvious."

"But what about, you know…?"

"I wouldn't hold that against her. I'm over it, anyway," she said simply. Ewan wasn't convinced, but he wisely held his tongue.

Saleh met them at the front door and greeted Tethys cordially, giving her a quick embrace, while Ewan moved inside and set about preparing a repeat of their supper for her. Tethys and Saleh followed him in, his sister settling herself gracefully at the table while his teacher claimed the cushioned armchair by the fire, which was arguably the most comfortable furnishing in their modest house.

"How long will you be staying with us this time, Tethys?" Saleh asked.

"Just tonight, I'm afraid," she began, but was cut off by her brother's dismayed shout of "What? Why?"

"Hear me out, Ewan," she chided, "I'm here with an invitation." She straightened her shoulders and cleared her throat dramatically. "On behalf of His Majesty King Ephraim of Renais, you are cordially invited to his palace for a festival in honor of the 10th Anniversary of the victory at Darkling Woods and the end of the War of the Stones, and for a, ehm," she raised her eyebrows meaningfully at them, "Reunion of Friends."

"A reunion?" breathed Ewan. "That's wonderful! The anniversary, that's next month, isn't it?"

"The festival begins in two weeks, but Ephraim said to tell you he would be delighted to see you yesterday if that were possible."

Ewan nearly bounced with excitement and came precariously close to losing Tethys' supper to the fire. "Saleh, let's leave tomorrow!"

Tethys laughed. "I knew you'd say that. I am sure," she added, winking at her brother, "that there will be all manner of young ladies eager to meet the heroes of the War. Not to mention I hear that Amelia friend of yours has grown into quite the woman."

"Tethys!"

The dancer laughed at her brother's red face and accepted the plate of food he handed to her.

"You're coming with us, aren't you, Teth?" he asked.

"Thank you. No, actually. I'm traveling to Jehanna to inform Joshua and the others, although I'm sure Josh has already received a formal invitation from a runner. I'll be traveling back with them, so I'll be a few days behind you."

"Aw…" Ewan's disappointment was quickly overcome. "Still, this will be fantastic. I can't wait to see everyone again! Are we leaving tomorrow, Saleh?"

The siblings watched him expectantly as he turned and fixed his pupil with a carefully neutral gaze. "Myrrh can't leave," he said quietly, and Ewan's eyes widened in realization.

"Oh," he said dejectedly.

"You can still go," Saleh told him, "But I feel I should stay with Myrrh. She will be disheartened that she can't be there, and I ought to provide her with company."

"No," the young man shook his head and looked at his sister apologetically. "I'll stay, too. It's not fair that I should get to go when Saleh and Myrrh cannot."

"Oh, Ewan…" Tethys sighed, fiddling with one of her bracelets. She looked as if she wanted to say more, but didn't.

All of a sudden, Saleh rose from his chair and nodded stiffly at them. "Excuse me," he said, and marched out the door. Ewan watched him go with a pained expression.

"Ewan…" Tethys repeated. She stood and led him to the chair Saleh had just vacated, settling herself into it and sitting Ewan on the floor in front of her, his back leaning against the chair. She began to stroke his hair gently, a maternal gesture she had adopted when they were children.

"I take it you've had no luck, have you?" she asked after a moment.

He sighed heavily, spine slumped against her calves. "None. I'm beginning to think it's a lost cause. He just doesn't want to see it."

"Are you sure he isn't simply missing it because he's not looking for it?"

"Saleh is the most perceptive, observant, and thoughtful person I know. He couldn't miss this unless he were trying." Ewan twisted his head around and glared at his sister. "And your little comment back there didn't help matters any!"

"I was just trying to inspire a little jealousy on his part!" she retorted, her voice more teasing than defensive. When he didn't reply, she sighed and wrapped her arms around his chest, giving him a little hug. "Oh, Ewan…" she said again, hurting for his sake. "I know _exactly_ how you feel."

He nodded mutely, because she did know, and he knew in his heart that she was worse off than he. He felt guilty for making her suffer with him, but she had always insisted on being the stronger of the two, on being there even when he didn't need her. In the ten years since the War, he had only comforted her once. They both preferred not to talk about that day.

The candles had burned another half-notch down by the time Saleh returned. Tethys and Ewan hadn't moved or spoken in that time, although now Ewan disentangled himself from his sister and began organizing a bed for her in the common room. The only other rooms the house contained were the bedroom, with two quilted pallets for Saleh and himself, and Saleh's workroom, which was strictly off-limits to guests. Ewan had been several years into his training before Saleh had allowed even him into his workroom.

Saleh watched him work for several minutes before he spoke. "Don't forget to pack anything you might need before you go to bed. We leave first thing in the morning."

Ewan's head shot up and he stared at his teacher, daring to hope. "You're coming?"

"There's no point in my staying," Saleh replied, running a hand through his hair – a motion Ewan recognized as his rare gesture of defeat. "Myrrh absolutely refuses to talk to me if I do. She wants to know how everyone's doing, too, you know. We've been charged with bringing back stories for her."

Ewan exchanged glances with Tethys, who ventured what was on both their minds. "Are you sorry, Saleh?"

The gray eyes met hers for a minute, then locked with Ewan's. There was a pause, and then a soft smile spread across his face. "No," he said, "No. I feel guilty for saying it, but I must admit that I'm rather relieved."

Ewan grinned hugely at this statement and Tethys began to laugh. "Saleh," she said, shaking her head, "You're far too nice. When will you ever do anything for yourself?"

"Duty comes before personal pleasure," Saleh said serenely.

"But duty doesn't always call," Tethys reminded him. "The world won't come to an end if you enjoy yourself now and again."

"Hn," said Saleh, but he was smiling.

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º_Enya's "Flora's Secret," because I'm too lame to write my own lyrics._

Reviews are very much appreciated! I'm afraid chapters will be rather slow in coming and generally not much longer than this one, as I'm currently in the fall of my senior year and have a great many college application _essays_ to write, in addition to CAS hours and extended essay and everything for my IB diploma _and_ the normal homework load. Joy of joys. But I promise you, this fic will be finished, just have patience, please. For those of you who remember Shattered Dreams and are looking at me skeptically, I have two points to make. One, this story is plotted out from beginning to end. There's plenty of room for change, but I'm not going to hit a plothole halfway through. Two, SD is not dead. It's just… in a coma.

Review and I'll love you forever (note: the degree of love is exponentially proportional to the coherency and thoughtfulness of the review).


	2. Hey Pretty

_Eva Kasumi 01/01/06  
Happy New Years! Finally got this chapter done - winter vacation has been a much-needed break in my hectic senior year. I'm sorry I didn't finish it sooner, but on the other hand, I've been accepted to my first-choice college, so I'm somewhat in the clear now. I'm in the home stretch, things should be a bit quieter, and I should be able to get chapters done relatively faster. Thanks for being patient with me. Also thanks to my lovely beta reader, Amethyst Bubble.  
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**Lead Me Not Into Temptation**

Part Two : Hey Pretty

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All three of them woke long before dawn – Ewan first, then Tethys and finally Saleh, the anticipation making them bright-eyed and cheerful where at least two would not normally have been. Having prepared for travel the night before, it was a simple matter of dressing and feeding themselves before starting off. Ewan and Tethys chatted amiably over breakfast, with an occasional comment from Saleh, and it wasn't long before they were both standing outside the cabin hugging each other goodbye. Saleh was occupied with closing the house up for a month, checking both the physical and magical securities he had placed on it against robbers, weather, and anything else that might happen to come along.

"Will you be all right traveling alone, Tethys?" Ewan asked, eyebrows knit in concern.

"Of course I will. Honestly, brother, you worry too much. I can take care of myself."

"I know," he admitted. "Still, I'd be more comfortable knowing you had someone to watch your back. You can never be too careful."

"Your concern is touching, brother, but unnecessary. There is little danger in these hills anymore. You, of all people, know that."

He opened his mouth to protest again, but she swiftly cut him off. "But," she said, "if it makes you feel any better, I promise to be extra cautious until I reach Jehanna."

Ewan relaxed visibly and smiled. "Thank you. I know I must seem like a worrywart–"

"Yes," Tethys replied gaily, "But I know: better safe than sorry." She kissed him on the cheek. "You be careful, too, Ewan." She hesitated, then glanced over his shoulder at Saleh, who had finished his chore and stood patiently off to one side. She met Ewan's eyes. "Don't give up on him," she whispered. "He'll come around. Ten years you've lived with him and he hasn't run off with anyone yet! That's got to count for something!" And she grinned at him in a manner that would have been infuriating had he not known her to be sincere.

She hugged him again before he had a chance to respond, then darted over to Saleh and did the same. "I'll see you both in a few days, then," she said, pecked Saleh on the cheek, and set off up the hill at a brisk pace.

"So long, loves!" she called back to them, fluttering a hand as she did so. "Be good, now, and don't get into _too_ much trouble without me! I'd be so dreadfully disappointed to miss it." And with that she disappeared into the woods, intending to cut across and back onto the path leading up to the village of Caer Pelyn. From there it was just a simple matter of going over the mountain pass and south through Hamill Canyon to reach Jehanna, a journey which shouldn't take much more than two days of easy travel.

Ewan shook his head as they turned away from the spot where Tethys had vanished. "Always with the dramatics," he said, but his tone was fond.

Saleh smiled at him and shouldered his pack a little more securely. "Well," he said, "Shall we go?"

"Just waiting for you," grinned Ewan, and together they set off on the path that led down the mountain, their high spirits leaving plenty of room for conversation, especially on Ewan's part. A few hours before noon, they diverged from the main road and took a less-traveled path that led south-west over the mountains to Renais. It was more difficult going than what Tethys was journeying on, but if they kept a steady, solid pace it would get them to Renais at about the same time that she reached the White Dunes. Additionally, the scenery was infinitely superior.

Saleh judged that they had made very good time when they finally stopped and set up camp for the night. If they set the same pace tomorrow, they could reach Renais by evening. Ewan excitedly recounted stories of their time in Eirika's army and pondered the prospect of seeing their friends again as he built the fire, Saleh listening with an amused smile on his face. He might be twenty-three now, but Ewan's enthusiasm for life hadn't waned at all over the years.

Halfway through supper, when talk had died down in favor of eating and the night was quite but for the crackle of the fire, Ewan chanced to look up at the cliff beneath which they were camped and nearly dropped his bowl in surprise. "Saleh," he hissed, and pointed above them, "Look!"

Perched atop the cliff was the biggest wolf Ewan had ever seen. Its gray coat looked almost silver against the dark backdrop of the sky, though it would have been nearly invisible were it not for the moon providing illumination and adding a bright sheen to the fur. Ewan wondered briefly why the creature was not bothered by their campfire, but the thought was quickly driven from his mind with awe as wolf threw its head back and howled. The sound was both exhilarating and heart-wrenching at the same time, and Ewan found himself unable to look away. From somewhere beside him, he heard Saleh's soft voice. "He's lost his mate."

The sound ended on a plaintive note, and then the wolf turned its head downwards and looked at them, expression neutral but for the grief in its eyes. Ewan felt something warm slide down his cheek as he stared into those golden eyes. The wolf could not cry, so he was crying for it.

After a few moments, the beast turned and melted into the darkness, leaving Ewan with that sinking feeling that marks the end of something inexplicably significant. He brushed a sleeve over his cheek and looked at Saleh, not entirely certain what he was expecting, but his teacher had returned to his meal and didn't say anything at all.

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"Gracious! That's not little _Ewan_ all grown up, is it?"

Ewan barely had time to blink before he was accosted by a blur of green and white, and he suddenly found himself kissing Princess L'Arachel's hand without any memory of ever bowing to begin with. She rather had that effect on people, he remembered with amusement. "What a handsome man you've turned out to be!" she cried delightedly, "And Saleh's here, too! Oh, this is wonderful! I've been greeting guests all evening; everyone seems to be arriving on the same day! I was here first, of course; Dozla and I arrived a week ago. Dozla, look, it's Ewan and Saleh!" She abruptly turned and directed this last part at her companion, who had finally arrived after following her down the hall at a more leisurely pace, chuckling loudly.

"Ewan, my lad!" the Princess' long-term bodyguard clapped him soundly on the back by way of greeting, and Ewan nearly doubled over from the force of it. "Hey, Uncle Dozla," he managed to gasp, grinning. Saleh eyed Dozla warily lest he should receive the same welcome, but he was merely offered a more refined, if extremely enthusiastic, handshake.

"Come on in, both of you," L'Arachel urged – entirely unnecessarily, as Dozla was already leading them both bodily down the hall as his mistress strode commandingly in front of them. "Eirika will be _delighted_ to see you, and Ephraim, too – we'll go see them immediately. Oh, and wait until you meet little Celeste, she is just a _doll_, and so very sure of herself. She gets such confidence from her Aunt L'Arachel, of course. But you'll be wanting to catch up with everyone. Let's see… Cormag and Artur arrived yesterday, and Lute has been here several days already, although I admit I haven't spoke to her much. I just do not get that girl at all. Colm and Neimi arrived a few hours before you did, and – oh! Ewan, Amelia's been looking for you since she arrived, so do be sure to go say hello to her."

L'Arachel was, mercifully, interrupted by their arrival at the large double doors that marked the entrance to the palace's primary parlor. She didn't even pause to knock, but merely flung the doors open and swept into the room as though she were queen rather than Eirika. She wouldn't be L'Arachel if she did anything otherwise, and so nobody took much offense from her airs.

Eirika was seated on the floor playing chess with a child that bore her striking aqua-colored hair, but she rose immediately and came to greet them when they entered the room. "Saleh! Ewan!" she exclaimed, giving them each a kiss on the cheek. "It's been far too long. When did you arrive?"

"Just now," L'Arachel put in before either of them could open their mouths, "Dozla and I were there to greet them, and we brought them straight to you."

"You must be exhausted!" Eirika said, smiling at them both. "Shall I show you to your rooms, or would you like to reacquaint yourselves with everyone first? I think most of them are still up at this hour, although I can't necessarily vouch for their sobriety." She smirked in a rather un-queen-like manner, and Ewan couldn't help but grin right back.

Saleh, too, sounded amused, but declined the invitation. "I think rest would be most appreciated at the moment," he replied. "We can meet the others in the morning."

"If they're not too hung-over!" Ewan chimed in.

Eirika laughed and turned to L'Arachel. "Could you watch Celeste for me until I get back? It won't take very long."

"My pleasure," replied the Princess with a slightly feral grin.

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"I hope you don't mind sharing a room," the Queen of Renais told them as she led them through the guest wing of the palace. "With so many people coming, we've been having to double up some of the rooms, but if it's a problem I'm sure we can find some others who are willing to share."

"No, no, it's not a problem," Ewan said quickly. He glanced at Saleh for confirmation, but his teacher made no indication of preference one way or another.

"Oh, good, thank you." She stopped before one of the rooms and opened the door dramatically, ushering them in in front of her. Ewan could only gape at the magnificence of it all. A massive four-poster bed, enameled dresser, spacious fireplace flanked by several plush armchairs and a loveseat, floor-to-ceiling windows with majestic crimson drapery opening out onto a marble balcony, and below that was the entire city of Renais spread out at his feet. "Wow…" he whispered, going up to the window and pressing his nose against the glass. He turned back to Eirika. "Are you sure-"

"Yes, I'm sure this is the right room," she cut him off with a laugh. "You're not the first one to ask me that."

"Wow," he said again, and stared back out the window at the multitude of lights dotting the darkened city like stars.

Eirika turned her attention to Saleh, who was examining the mantelpiece with interest. "This pull here," she said, indicating a gold brocade rope hanging by the bedside, "will summon a servant. Please don't hesitate if you need anything; I've told the staff to bar no expense for our guests this month. And don't hesitate to explore if you'd like. The palace is yours for your enjoyment."

Saleh bowed. "Thank you, milady."

She frowned slightly. "Saleh, please – it's just Eirika."

The sage straightened and smiled at her. "Understood."

"Thank you, Eirika," Ewan cut in, returning from the window to stand next to his teacher. "It's wonderful to be here." He smiled gratefully, and for a moment she was struck by his maturity. It was to be expected, she realized; after all, he wasn't thirteen anymore. He was still the same Ewan, but it was ridiculous to think he hadn't grown.

Saleh, she reflected, hadn't changed much at all.

"It's wonderful to see you again," she said affectionately, and after a moment's hesitation, she pulled them both into a brief hug. "I'm so happy we can have everyone together again for a reunion," she told them as she drew away. "I'll let you two get some rest now. Sleep well," she said by way of parting, and then she was gone, closing the door behind her.

Ewan and Saleh looked at each other for a moment, then by unspoken agreement began unpacking and settling in for what would be a several-week stay. Ewan made a point of summoning up a maid and requesting a bath, which was promptly prepared for him in the bath room down the hall. By the time he returned to their room, thoroughly cleansed and very satisfied, Saleh was settled in an armchair, immersed in one of the books he'd found on the bookcase. Ewan paused to watch him, noting the familiar slight knit of his eyebrows in concentration, the distracted way he tucked the unruly hair behind his ear, only to have it fall back in his face again.

There was a knock on the door. Saleh glanced up and suddenly found his gaze locked with his pupil's, who was standing between him and the door. Ewan realized belatedly that he'd been staring, and a slight flush crept into his cheeks as they stared at each other, both looking like deer caught in a lamplight.

The knock sounded again, and Ewan tore his gaze away to go answer the door. He was greeted by the sight of a young woman in the typical short-skirted outfit favored by female foot soldiers. Her blonde hair was swept up out of her face in a loose knot, and she peered up at Ewan with anxious brown eyes as though not entirely sure she had any right to be speaking to him.

"Amelia!" he exclaimed, and grabbed her into a hug that made her squeak in surprise.

"E-Ewan!" she stuttered as he released her, "I-I'm sorry to bother you, I know it's late, but I just heard you'd arrived and I-I really wanted to see you again. I just… thought I'd just come and say hello to you and, and Master Saleh." She leaned around Ewan and waved timidly at Saleh, who was watching from his chair. He gave her a reassuring smile, and she relaxed visibly.

"It's not a bother; it's wonderful to see you again!" Ewan assured her as she looked up at him again uncertainly. "How have you been? Are you still living in Grado? Come in, sit down and we can talk."

"Um, no, I really shouldn't, um, impose. I just… wanted to say hello and, and let you know I was here. Get some rest, I'll see you tomorrow. Sleep well!" She bowed briefly to Saleh, threw Ewan a hesitant smile, and fled.

The red-head stared at the empty hallway for a moment, then closed the door and turned to his teacher. "Well, uh… that was interesting," he offered, though he wasn't entirely sure which incident he was referring to as 'interesting'.

"Hm," said Saleh.

In an effort to fill the silence, he continued, "Well, it was nice of her to stop by. I wonder if Ross is here yet? We have so much catching up to do!"

Saleh smiled but said nothing, simply closing his book and rising leisurely from his seat.

"Hey, Saleh?"

"Yes?"

"Who do you want to see?"

The man blinked in surprise and stopped to consider the question. "Well, I'm looking forward to seeing Gerik and his group again, although it hasn't been so long since we saw them last. I'd be interested to talk to Knoll, and find out how he's getting along in his studies and with the rebuilding of Grado. And I suppose I must say I'm very pleased to see Lady Eirika again. I look forward to catching up with her while we're here." He gave his student another one of his half-smiles and went to put the book away.

Ewan climbed into bed telling himself that there was absolutely no reason he should feel betrayed.

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I appoligize for the excessive use of clichés in this chapter. I hope it didn't put anyone off too much.  
Thoughtful reviews and constructive crit are absolutely _adored_. Thanks for reading!


	3. Falling In

_Eva Kasumi 05/17/06  
Soooo sorry about the delay. I don't really have an excuse, other than that school did not calm down nearly as much as I'd hoped, despite Senioritis. But, it's over now! And I wrote nearly all of this chapter in the past two days.  
Extra love, as always, to Amethyst Bubbles, for being a lovely beta and putting up with my writing paranoia. I can't just write a fic, accept the beta, and be done with it; I've got to follow it up with a series of obnoxious questions such as, "But are you sure this is okay? And what about this part? It wasn't overdone, was it? Is this too corny? And I cut a scene out here, is it okay? Is everything still clear? Are they in character? Did I use the right word here?" Most people would be screaming "STFU ALREADY!" but Ammy's very patient.  
_**  
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**Lead Me Not Into Temptation**

Part Three : Falling In

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Saleh was gone when Ewan awoke the next morning. He sat up blearily and squinted at the sunlight beaming down on him through the window - he must have been more exhausted than he thought to have slept so late. Ewan rubbed an eye halfheartedly and swung his legs over the side of the bed, wondering why he was feeling so unusually gloomy. With his chipper personality, he was what others irritably called a 'morning person,' up with the sun and ready to greet the day with a smile. Back in the army, this talent was generally rewarded with slurred and groggy insults and threats to pelt him with fruit from everyone but L'Arachel. L'Arachel received full-blown rants and actually _was_ pelted with fruit – not that anyone ever landed a hit or made any impression on her morning habits whatsoever.

Ewan stretched and groaned when he heard a joint pop. "Age twenty-three and I'm already getting old," he muttered to himself. He rummaged in a drawer for a pair of clean pants.

Judging from the sun, it was only a few hours until noon - four at most; he'd probably already missed breakfast. Saleh had probably been up for hours; certainly his half of the bed was already cold when Ewan woke up. Ewan told himself he didn't care that Saleh hadn't woken him – Saleh was being generous and letting him sleep in, something he wasn't normally allowed to do (not that he usually had much interest in it anyway) – but somehow that didn't help his mood any. He glared at the offending sun and left the room, intent on finding his own entertainment for the day. 'The palace is yours,' Eirika had said, and he damn well intended to use it.

He knew he should probably greet everyone else, and he did, in the back of his mind, want to, but he was in one of those rare and inexplicably bitter moods and knew better than to impose it on anyone if he could help it. A couple hours exploring the palace and its grounds and he would be himself again. He could better torment people when he was of a cheery disposition.

Fortunately for Ewan, the palace was big enough for several dozen people to get lost in and still never cross paths, and Ewan himself had absolutely no qualms with getting lost. In an hour or so of wandering, he found a music room, several courtyards, a rather cozy parlor, a gallery, and the library – or perhaps _a_ library, given the size of the palace – and though he was sorely tempted to lose himself in some books right then and there, he knew he'd never pull himself out again if he did. Perhaps he should bring Saleh down here later; his teacher would appreciate the wealth of information even more than he did himself.

Reluctantly dragging himself from the library, Ewan instead headed in the general direction where he assumed the gardens were located. After a bit of backtracking and several detours, mostly to locate a window from which he could attempt to trace a route down to his destination, he finally emerged in a sunlit yard flanked by two wings of the palace. The immediate vicinity was rigorously maintained: hedges and flowers seemed to have been given no leeway but were trimmed into an impeccable formation. Everything was low and trees seemed sparse; Ewan was a little uncomfortable with the rigidness of it all, and breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed a distinctly more natural garden some ways down the yard.

He struck off down one of the cobblestone paths towards it and was thrilled to find it even more beautiful up close than it had been from a distance. Vine-covered trellises covered some walkways, others were hemmed in by large rhododendron bushes, yet more lined with a thick cluster of evergreen or beech trees, and every turn was met with a different sort of ambiance, be it brightly colored flowers or exotic dark ferns or blossoming cherry trees. "It's like a maze," murmured Ewan as he walked.

He'd taken several more turns and met a dead end before he realized that it _was_ a maze, and with a grin set about getting himself as lost as possible in it to make finding his way out that much more exciting. At one point he stumbled across a pond that wound its way in curls across a clearing. Big white water lilies sat on even bigger green lily pads, one of which was currently hosting the largest bullfrog Ewan had ever seen. There were reeds and flowers and even a willow tree along the water's edge, and a small wooden bridge over the narrowest part of the pond with a matching loveseat in the sun overlooking the pond some distance away. Ewan collapsed onto it and stared about himself in awe. "I _must_ bring Saleh here," he said reverently, then chuckled, "If I can ever find it again."

"You're talking to yourself."

Ewan jumped and spun around. The small girl who had been playing with Eirika when they'd arrived last night was watching him with large eyes and a patronizing expression. "You're going to get caught," she said.

Ewan blinked. "What?"

"They'll find you if you sit out there in the open. They'll definitely find you if you keep talking to yourself."

"Who?"

She gave him a pitying look. "The Seekers."

"…The who?"

The girl – Celeste, he recalled – gave an elaborate sigh and rolled her eyes, then glared at him and said, "Shhhhh!" very loudly. She followed this up by marching over, grabbing his wrist, and dragging him under the hanging branches of the willow tree with surprising force. "We're hiding," she told him, then assumed a post right at the edge of the overhanging branches and watched the entrance to the clearing with military vigor. Ewan realized that she thought she was hidden by the wispy twigs.

"No, wait," he whispered. He took her hand and led her behind the willow's trunk. "This is a better hiding place. See, we can still see the path, but anyone on it can't see us."

Celeste smiled up at him. "You're Ewan."

He blinked. "Er, yes."

"Amelia told me about you," she continued, before he could ask how she knew that. She put extra emphasis on the middle syllable of Amelia's name, as though the word were a little strange to her. "You have funny hair."

He put his hand self-consciously to the back of his head but his hair felt no different from usual. "How is it–"

"Shhhhh!"

Ewan looked up at the path where Celeste's eyes were riveted and saw Amelia enter the clearing and look around. "Seeker," Celeste whispered.

Amelia seemed generally impressed with the pond, but Ewan could tell she'd seen it before as she wandered down the walkway, staring intently at the cattails and shrubbery. Ewan and Celeste moved around the tree trunk as she passed the willow, keeping it between themselves and her line of sight. Suddenly, as Amelia passed on the part of the path closest to their hiding spot, Celeste broke away and charged at her, launching herself through the branches with a yell.

"Oof!" Amelia laughed and staggered more than was necessary as Celeste tackled her. "There you are!"

"I caught you! Piggy-back ride, Amelia, please?"

"I don't know, you're getting awfully big for those…" the older girl teased.

"_Please?_"

"Oh, all right," she laughed, and got down on her knees so Celeste could climb onto her back. Getting up again, she turned around and almost dropped Celeste. "E-Ewan!"

"Hello again," he grinned.

"Ewan helped me find a good hiding place," Celeste said seriously.

Amelia beamed at him. "Of course he did, he knows all kinds of neat tricks like that."

Ewan nodded. "I learned it in my days as a rebel outlaw," he told Celeste, whose eyes grew wide over Amelia's shoulder.

"Were you really a rebel outlaw?"

He gave her a grave nod. "The most wanted in the land. I would appreciate it if you not mention this to your parents, though," he added with a wink.

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "You weren't a rebel outlaw, were you?" she said accusingly. "You're making it up."

"She's got you figured, Ewan," giggled Amelia.

"Alas, my days have never seen anything so exciting as those of a rebel outlaw," he sighed.

"Oh, and the War of the Stones was what, pray?"

"A mere tea party in comparison to the life of the lawless, my dear."

Amelia flushed and smiled up at him. "You've gotten more dramatic, but in terms of being a joker you haven't changed a bit."

"Well, I like to think I've gotten a bit taller, too…"

Ewan's joking put Amelia more at ease, and she smirked at him in response. "It's certainly true that you're not _shorter_ than me anymore."

"Touché."

"Amelia," a young voice interjected, "Piggy-back."

"Where to?"

The small hand pointed at the other exit from the clearing.

"Your wish is my command, Princess," she said with a fake bow, tipping Celeste forward in the process and causing the child to giggle. Hoisting her back up again, Amelia turned to Ewan and nodded at the path. "Shall we?"

"After you," he smiled, waving her ahead. He didn't notice her slight blush as he followed her down the path and back into the maze.

Their third turn into the maze, Ewan was brought up short when Amelia apparently collided with someone coming around the corner. There was a brief scuffle as the person steadied Amelia, who had lost her balance due to the extra weight of the princess on her back, and then Ewan got a good idea of who was around the corner from the hearty baritone chuckle that accompanied him. "Damn, you found her first again!"

"No swearing in front of Celeste, please," chided Amelia.

"I didn't hear anything," the girl assured them, though she quite clearly had. Ewan could practically see her little mind filing the word away for later use.

"Besides," Amelia continued, "it was Ewan who found her first this time."

"Ewan?"

Amelia moved aside to let Ewan pass, and he suddenly found himself engulfed in an enthusiastic bear hug. "Bro!" cried Ross, pounding him on the back. Ewan laughed and responded in kind, though not with nearly as much force; Ross was still half a head taller than him and seemed twice as strong.

Ross finally stepped back and regarded him with a huge grin. "How've you been, Bro? By the Light, it's been forever! Look at you, you're all grown up!"

"You make it sound as though you haven't grown up yourself," returned Ewan with a matching expression.

"Pah, I was already grown up back then; barely changed."

"Oh, sure," Ewan smirked as Amelia snickered behind him, "And what's this, huh?" He reached around and tugged on the tail of bound hair that fell halfway down Ross's back.

"Hey!" Ross removed his ponytail from Ewan's grip and pushed it back over his shoulder. "I'll have you know the ladies love it."

"Is that so?"

"Yep!"

"Hm, I don't know. What do you think, Amelia?" Ross froze as Ewan turned and presented him to Amelia. "Does it make him look absolutely dashing?"

She flushed red, eyes darting between the two of them uncertainly.

"Er," said Ross.

"I, uh," said Amelia.

Ewan blinked. "Either your dazzling good looks have rendered her speechless, or she's struggling for words sufficiently diplomatic as to not scar your ego too badly." He grinned at Ross, "My money's on the latter."

Ross mock-scowled and socked him in the shoulder as Amelia flushed even darker.

"_I_ like Mister Ross's hair," declared a voice over Amelia's shoulder.

Ross grinned and bowed. "Y'see? The little Princess has taste. She knows a man when she sees one."

"It's like a girl's hair," Celeste continued, "So Mister Ross is like a girl with muscles."

Ewan doubled over laughing at his friend's horrified expression. Celeste glared at him. "He does have muscles!" she insisted, misinterpreting Ewan's amusement, "Amelia said it's because he fights with axes. I'm going to learn to fight with axes and have muscles like that one day!"

It took all of Ewan's self-discipline to not laugh even harder at this statement. Glancing at his friends, he saw that Amelia seemed torn between being embarrassed and bursting out laughing herself. Ross looked decidedly uncomfortable.

"I'm sure," said Ewan as he got himself under control, "that Ross would be more than happy to teach you while he's here."

This time Ross really did glare at him and Amelia broke out in giggles.

---------

By one o'clock – after a morning of catering to the whims of a young princess and catching up with his two friends – Ewan had been bodily hauled off to dinner, a spectacularly informal meal where everyone was far more interested in the conversation than the food. Tana was there in an instant when the four of them entered the hall, hugging all of them, pinching Ewan's cheeks, and finally whisking Celeste away with the mission of hunting down and abusing her father.

Scanning the room for Saleh, Ewan spotted him at the empty end of a table, deep in conversation with Eirika. He felt something akin to unjustified jealousy rising in him, but didn't have time to dwell on it as Ross insisted on dragging both he and Amelia over to talk to his father, who was laughing over something with Dozla when they arrived. Ewan received hearty thumps on the back from both men, a cup of wine thrust into his hand, and was essentially propelled into a chair next to Dozla as Garcia had already begun talking was sounded suspiciously like battle strategies with Amelia. Whatever the topic, she seemed more enthusiastic and at ease than she had all day, and Ross, though apparently unable to get a word in edgewise, looked thrilled.

"Ewan!" boomed Dozla, clapping the back of his chair and nearly making Ewan spill his drink, "How have you been, my lad? Tell me about your adventures!"

"I'm sure yours have been far more exciting than mine, Uncle Dozla," Ewan grinned, "A day with Princess L'Arachel is never a dull one!"

Dozla guffawed at this. "That's for sure, laddie. But don't try to tell me you've done nothing interesting. Come on, what have you been up to?"

"Well… do you remember how I told you about my idea of creating something that would let people talk to each other from miles and miles away?"

"Of course! A fantastic idea if I ever heard one, though I still can't get my head around it."

"I've been working on making such a device."

"You never! Does it work?"

Ewan nodded. "I think so. In fact…" he put his cup down and dug about in one of his pockets before producing two identical hand mirrors and offering one to Dozla. "You could do me a great favor by helping me test it out."

"Absolutely!" he laughed, taking the mirror, "But you sure I'm the right man for the job?"

"I need someone who doesn't do magic to make sure it can be activated by anyone. And no one's ever listened to my ideas better than you, Uncle Dozla!"

The man chuckled again. "Ah, surely Master Saleh does, and understands them, too!"

Ewan's smile faded and he glanced at his teacher again. "Sometimes I wonder," he murmured.

There was a moment's pause. "So, laddie," said Dozla, tapping the mirror, "Tell me how this thing works, eh?"

Ewan's head snapped back around, grin back in place. "Well, I've got one and you've got one, and they're magically linked to one another. Theoretically, when one of us says the activation word, our mirror will connect to the other one and we'll be able to see each other in the mirror instead of our own reflections. We should be able to hear each other, too, though that might need a bit of fine-tuning."

"Incredible!"

"I hope so, anyway," laughed Ewan, "What I don't know is how well the link holds up over distance. I've only been able to try with relatively short distances so far. It'd be really great to see if it still works after the reunion, when we've gone home. If people can still be connected over that much space…"

"Even as it is, it's very impressive, lad. I always knew you would go far with that imagination of yours."

"Aw, thanks, Uncle. But don't praise me yet; we've still got to make sure that the activation word will work even if someone with no magic says it. And even if the whole thing works, I don't know how useful it will be. How are you supposed to know when someone's contacting you if you're not actually looking at the mirror at that moment?" He paused to consider that. "Of course, if you hear a voice shouting at you from your pocket, that might be a clue."

Dozla laughed and ruffled Ewan's hair. "You'll figure it out, my boy. You've got wit and talent, but most importantly, you've got dedication. You'll achieve anything you try for so long as you hang onto that and don't give up."

Ewan gave him a contemplative look. "You really think so?"

"I know so." Dozla stood and gave him another clap on the back. "My Lady summons me now, but come see me at any time, lad! You're always great fun to talk to!"

Ewan raised his cup to him with a grin and took a sip as his honorary uncle departed. In good spirits, he gazed around the room and noted with amusement where Amelia was now trying to talk to Artur and looked very uncomfortable under the disapproving gaze of the nearby Cormag. Another glance in Saleh's direction revealed the sage now sitting by himself, sipping his wine and surveying the room with his usual quiet but thorough observation. Ewan caught his eyes and they shared a small smile.

A moment later, however, Ewan spotted Renais' young princess making a beeline for his teacher. He bit back a smirk as Saleh followed his gaze and paled, suddenly finding himself verbally accosted by an adamant Celeste. Ewan snickered as he watched the girl talk at his teacher, who appeared more uncomfortable by the minute and who finally resorted to sending Ewan a pleading look that he didn't have the heart to say no to.

He knocked back the last of his wine and sauntered over Saleh's end of the table with an amused grin on his face. "What're you telling Master Saleh about, Princess?" he asked, "Or is it a big secret that you can only share with him?"

She turned and eyed him warily for a moment. "It's a secret," she said finally, which Ewan took to mean that she didn't feel like explaining it again and had probably forgotten what she'd initially been talking about anyway.

"Well, you picked the right person to confide in," he told her confidentially, "Master Saleh is good at keeping secrets." He glanced at his teacher, but Saleh only looked mildly confused. He looked back at Celeste. "How would you like a shoulder ride?" he asked.

"Yes, up!" she cried, jumping up and down. He laughed and lifted her onto his shoulders, slightly surprised at how heavy she was. "By the Light, I think Amelia wasn't kidding when she said you were getting big for this kind of thing!"

Saleh gave a light chuckle. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you're good with children," he said.

"He's wonderful with children," Amelia corrected, coming up behind him with Ross trailing in her wake. "He spent all morning playing with Celeste, you should have seen him."

"I was there, too," Ewan swore he heard Ross mutter, but when he looked over Ross gave no indication that he'd said anything. Frowning slightly, Ewan turned back to Saleh and protested, "One would think that you're pretty good with children yourself. After all, you put up with me for how many year s?"

Saleh shook his head. "Being a teacher is different," he said, "I don't know how to simply… entertain."

"Not even a bit of magic?" his student persisted teasingly.

The sage looked a little startled, then smiled. "That I can do."

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	4. Hysteria

_Eva Kasumi 01/29/07__  
I know, I know, I'm sorry, I fail. No more false promises, I swear. From now on, expect the next chapter when you see it. I sincerely am sorry about the delay(s), and if you're still reading this at all then thank you for sticking with me. It's more than I deserve. _

**  
Lead Me Not Into Temptation**

Part Four : Hysteria

---------

Ephraim hadn't been gone that long. A week, at most – Forde's whining and Kyle's more respectful urgings had ensured that. And it wasn't like he had really missed anything; he was hardly needed, what with Eirika running Renais so smoothly all on her own. Ephraim was king, and so long as he wasn't abandoning his people, he had every right to go on the occasional trip. Besides, he was performing a much-needed duty out there, hunting down monsters and protecting his people.

Even so, he delayed until his party arrived back at Renais well after sunset, and then attempted to sneak through the halls to his bedroom without actually looking like he was sneaking. By taking back routes and avoiding lit doorways, he managed to arrive at his destination without having seen anyone but a few surprised servants. He breathed a sigh and turned the knob of his door, knowing that he was safe, at least until morning.

"Ephraim." Eirika said, and her tone told him right away that she was Not Happy. "Where have you been?"

Or not.

"Do you know how difficult it's been to make it seem as though you didn't just up and leave in the middle of all your guests' arrivals? Half of them believe they've simply missed seeing you around – you're lucky most of them only just arrived! L'Arachel thinks you're avoiding her."

Ephraim pinched the bridge of his nose and sank resignedly into an armchair. "That's not so far from the truth."

"She says it's because you know you wouldn't be able to resist her beauty and feminine charms. It's very gentlemanly of you not to allow yourself the temptation."

"Ah," said Ephraim.

"And where _have_ you been, if not actively depriving yourself of the temptation that is our L'Arachel?"

"Out."

Eirika's glare didn't waver.

He shifted. "Monster hunting," he amended, somewhat dully.

"And how many monsters, pray tell, did you find?"

"Uh… three."

There was a pause.

"We also weeded out a nest of bandits in the mountains?" He hadn't intended for it to be a question, but somehow it came out that way.

"Ephraim," his sister said slowly, "Perhaps the reason you're finding so few monsters is because _this is the third time you've been out hunting in as many months_. It's been ten years since they stopped appearing! You've weeded them out! There's barely any left! You're taking jobs away from all the honest mercenaries who have to earn their living."

"I thought we hired all the mercenaries."

"There will always be those who would rather earn wages in their own time than be on the payroll and at the beck and call of the government. But that's not the _point_! The point is that you went gallivanting off with next to no warning, at the most inconvenient time you could possibly have done so and with absolutely no thought to whether or not you might be concerning those around you!"

"Eirika, I left word with the stewards before I went and anticipated being back before too many people arrived for the festivities. Besides, you knew I had Kyle and Forde and several of my other best men out there, so there was really no cause for you to worry–"

"_Damned_ if I'm not going to worry about you!" she snapped, and he silenced immediately.

Eirika took a deep breath and began again in a softer voice. "It's not that I'm worried about your safety, Ephraim. I know you can take care of yourself - you know I trust you in that. I'm worried about the fact that you feel the _need_ to make these excursions on a monthly basis. This is clearly about something more than simply cleansing the land of monsters. What is it, Ephraim? What are you trying to escape from?"

"Nothing; it's not like that. Really, Eirika, you're overreacting; it was just a couple of trips, necessary for the protection of the country."

"You can't fool me, Brother! You didn't used to just up and abandon your people - your _family_ - for no good reason. Innes thinks you're being entirely irresponsible, and in this case I'm rather inclined to agree with him."

"I thought he got over this whole rivalry thing when he married you," muttered Ephraim.

"Mostly, but I suspect he's jealous that I've been spending the whole week worrying about _you_," she sighed. "Really, brother. You're so… restless. I hate to see you this unhappy."

Ephraim's lack of argument and the way he avoided his sister's gaze was confirmation enough.

"Perhaps," Eirika ventured thoughtfully after a pause, "you need to get married."

He raised an eyebrow. "You don't really want me getting married, sister dear, because then you wouldn't get to be Queen of Renais _and_ Frelia anymore."

Eirika gave him a look that clearly said, 'Stop avoiding the subject.' He winced.

"Ephraim…" She sighed and collapsed into an armchair next to him. "It's not that I care whether you get married or not, you know that. But I think you want to. You want _something_. You're not happy; you spend half your time off on trips that aren't necessary, hunting down monster remnants from the War that aren't really there but you go anyway _just to make sure_. Just to get out of here and give yourself something to do. You feel like you're missing something, don't you?"

"You sound like Mother," he muttered, and instantly regretted it.

Eirika's face fell and she looked at her hands. "Don't say that," she whispered.

Ephraim swung around and took her hands in his own. "Eirika, I'm sorry, I didn't mean that," he said earnestly, "Neither you nor Mother have ever intended anything but the best for me."

"I'm not trying to nag," she insisted, "I just want you to be happy, Brother. And I know Mother would, too."

The prince of Renais sighed and leaned back again. "I know," he mumbled, "I know. And you're right. I just... I don't _know_ what I want. I do feel like I'm missing something - but I don't know what, or why. Only that part of me feels... empty."

There was a long silence.

"Do you really think I need to get married?" he asked suddenly.

His sister regarded him carefully before she replied, "No. I think you need to find that something, whatever it is, that will make you happy. Something that you love, that seems worth your time, that will keep you busy. Something that requires dedication but is rewarding. Something more substantial," she added wryly, "than phantom monster hunting."

Ephraim grinned back. "Point taken. And thank you."

"I just hope you find it soon," she said.

"So do I."

---------

Their third morning there, Saleh returned to the room after a bath to find Ewan sitting in his chair, staring at the door and doing absolutely nothing. He stopped short and regarded his usually animated student with surprise. Ewan stared right back through him without appearing to see anything at all.

After a moment's hesitation, Saleh shut the door and moved further into the room, out of Ewan's line of sight. The redhead didn't blink.

Five minutes later, Ewan still hadn't moved. It took Saleh putting a hand on his forehead in concern to get an indication that Ewan was, in fact, truly present.

"I'm alright, I'm just thinking," he said.

Saleh wasn't sure he was entirely convinced. "You usually do something with your hands when you're thinking."

Ewan started at that. "I do?" he asked, blinking.

"Folding paper, rolling wax, making something. You're never still," his teacher said, smiling, "So much energy."

Ewan was looking at him now, contemplative expression still etched on his features. "I'm sorry," he said suddenly, "I took your reading chair." He stood abruptly and offered the seat to Saleh, who took it without being entirely certain why but knowing that Ewan wanted to say something more. He waited patiently for his student to continue.

"Saleh," he was asked after a minute, "Do you remember what you told me, back when we were fighting alongside Lady Eirika in the War?"

"I told you many things, Ewan. Were you thinking of something in particular?"

"You told me that the truth cannot be found in words, but in the heart. If there is trust between two people, they can see the truth in each others' hearts."

Saleh smiled. "And you still remember that. You truly are a dedicated student."

Ewan planted his hands on both arms of the chair and looked directly into his companion's eyes. "Do you trust me, Saleh?"

"Of course I do."

Burgundy eyes stared into his, roving, searching, for a long time. He stared back complacently, until finally Ewan said quietly, "I don't think you're trusting me hard enough," and turned away. "I'll be in the library if you need me."

The door didn't slam behind him on his way out, but simply shut with a rather dejected sigh.

Saleh thought he felt a migraine coming on.

---------

He wasn't in the library when Saleh needed him, nor was he anywhere that others who had seen him could suggest. Saleh could have used magic to find him, but he made it a policy to never do that unless he thought Ewan was in danger, which was certainly not the case. Ewan, it seemed, was simply avoiding him.

In all their years together, Saleh realized, he could not recall a single time when Ewan had avoided him before. ...Perhaps it was cause to worry. Saleh looked a little harder.

He finally found Ewan in - of all places - the barracks. He'd found his friend Franz and the two of them were in the middle of the barracks courtyard, engaged in the most vigorous magic-versus-metal sparring match that Saleh had ever seen.

Franz was on foot and whaling away at Ewan with a large practice lance. The mage – who was smaller than Franz, but just barely – danced backwards, dodging most of the blows by a hair's breadth as he tried to get out of the volley and into some open space where he could fight back. Finally Franz made a jab that was too high, and Ewan dropped into a crouch and swept his feet out from under him before jumping out of range. He summoned up a fire spell, but the knight rolled out of the way before it struck and was up and charging at Ewan in an instant.

When he was a lance-length away, the mage darted forward and in a handspring vaulted himself _over_ his friend's head, a move Saleh recognized as having been learned from Joshua. Most of the gathered crowd seemed either impressed or amused. Ewan quickly followed it up by jabbing his elbow into Franz's back before he could turn around, sending him stumbling. The knight lurched forward and spun around in time to see that Ewan had summoned three fireballs and was juggling them from hand to hand, grinning wildly.

He flung the first one at Franz, who pulled his lance up and blocked it. The fire dissolved where it struck the reinforced wood. Franz looked at Ewan and grinned right back.

Ewan took the challenge and threw the next one, simultaneously calling up three more that danced around his head. Franz spun the lance like a staff and blocked it again, and again. The redhead tried aiming low and singed his friend's boot, but it wasn't enough to make him trip, and he kept blocking. Ewan summoned four fireballs and flung them all at once.

Franz put both hands at the center of his lance and spun it. The whirling circle it created deflected all four fireballs, and he kept spinning it as he advanced on Ewan. The mage eyed the whirring lance warily, not seeing any safe way of easily over, under, or around it to get at Franz from behind. There really only seemed to be one thing for it.

He summoned one last fireball and aimed it directly at the hands in the center of the lance's spinning circle. Franz let out a curse of pain when it struck and the spinning slowed, continuing only because of its great momentum. But though the rhythm had been lost, Franz used the last of this momentum to swing the lance around and lunge at Ewan unexpectedly, just as Ewan jumped to tackle him.

The length of the lance connected with Ewan's side and knocked him half out of the air, so that he landed on Franz at an angle and they both went down in a flailing mass of limbs where neither had the upper hand. They disentangled themselves and lay on their backs, laughing and panting at the same time.

"Draw?" asked Ewan.

"Draw," Franz agreed, grinning.

Ewan climbed to his feet first and held out a hand to pull up his friend. Franz took it, grinning, and spotted Saleh over Ewan's shoulder as they stood joking about something. When he mentioned this to Ewan, the redhead turned around so fast he nearly got whiplash. Franz almost laughed, but instead watched Ewan with a grin and a curious glint in his eye.

The mage managed to trip twice on his way across the courtyard to Saleh, though he caught himself both times and pretended he'd done it on purpose. "Saleh!" he beamed upon reaching his teacher, "Lovely weather we're having, isn't it?"

Saleh stared at him.

"Well, I think it is – maybe you don't think so; I know it's hotter here than we're used to up in the mountains, but there's not a cloud in the sky and Franz says there's a lake; we could go swimming. I don't think I've ever seen you swim, Saleh. Do you know how? I could teach you, if you like; it'd be lots of fun!" He knew he was babbling. He was babbling and he couldn't seem to stop.

"Are you... drunk?" asked Saleh incredulously.

Ewan grinned at him. "What if I am?" he quipped, sounding exceptionally lucid for a drunk.

Saleh regarded him carefully. "You can't be - I just watched you spar. You did brilliantly."

"Oh," said Ewan. He looked somehow disappointed. "I could get smashed and try again, if you'd prefer."

"...Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

"No," said Ewan, "I'm not." Then he collapsed.

Saleh wanted to curse his name as he carried him all the way back to their room (with the help of magic, admittedly, because Ewan wasn't that light anymore), but somehow he just couldn't bring himself to. He settled for kissing his forehead instead.

He didn't notice Ewan's smile.

---------

The next morning saw the return of Ewan's usual chipper morning self, to the dismay of many in the dining hall (and some who hadn't even made it that far). It also heralded the arrival of Tethys and company. Ewan was the first one at the door after the steward brought word that they had entered the palace gates. He hugged his sister, tackled and was pummeled by Gerik, knocked Joshua's hat askew, and wisely switched an enthusiastic hug for Marissa into a bow at the last second.

"You're late!" the mage crowed at his sister, "Everyone else is already here!"

"Everyone?" Joshua asked him, "Are you sure?"

"That's quite a claim," added Tethys, tweaking Ewan's nose.

"Close enough to everyone!" he insisted, ducking out of her reach, "I can't think of any we're missing off the top of my head. Well, except for Rennac, but just because I haven't seen him doesn't mean he's not here."

"Ah, yes, Rennac," Tethys mused.

"That scoundrel owes me money," grumbled Gerik.

Joshua laughed and slapped him on the back. "You'll have to win it back from him, my friend. Good luck to you with that. And don't let him use his dice."

"I know better than that from _you_."

The Jehannian king chuckled. "I should hope so!"

Gerik ignored him, offering his arm to Marissa instead (who took it with an air that suggested she understood what she was supposed to be doing with it but didn't quite understand _why_). "Well," he said to the party, "Shall we?"

Joshua shook his head. "Actually, I've got something I need to do first. You go on ahead; I'll find my own way."

Gerik shrugged as his king vanished down the halls. "Tethys?"

"I'd like to catch up with my brother," she said, standing on tiptoe to sling an arm over his shoulders with a grin. "I'll see you guys later."

"Don't mother the poor kid too badly," Gerik grinned back, then left with Marissa to scope out their quarters.

Tethys looked at her brother expectantly. Twenty-three years old, and every time he saw her he acted like he was thirteen again. It never failed.

"Come on, Tethys, I have to show you the gardens. They're amazing!"

"Ewan, I've been here before," she laughed, but allowed herself to be dragged off and haphazardly led around the maze as Ewan searched in vain for the clearing with the willow tree. Finally she took pity on him and led the way, smirking all the while at his disgruntled face.

"Right," she said, when they'd reached their destination and she was sprawled inelegantly on the bench. "Spill."

Ewan didn't even bother to pretend that he didn't know what she was talking about. "Alas!" he cried, raising an arm to his forehead and swooning dramatically, "There is nothing to tell!" He collapsed backwards onto the grass and twitched.

"All this free time and luxurious living and he still doesn't have a libido?" his sister drawled.

"Tethys!" he groaned, but it was only a halfhearted protest.

"Even with all these gorgeous women around?"

Ewan lifted his head and glared at her. She sighed.

"Have you jumped him yet?"

"No!" Indignant.

"Have you _told_ him yet?"

"No!" This one sounded more like a squeak.

Tethys made a clucking noise and rolled off the bench to sit next to him on the grass. "I mean it about the pretty girls. He can't expect you not to notice all the beauty around here."

"But I don't," Ewan insisted. When his sister glared at him, he rolled his eyes and amended, "Not like _that_, I mean."

Tethys shrugged. "Saleh doesn't need to know that. You've got all the reason in the world to be looking after your own interests, particularly if he's not going to play. There's plenty of girls who'd be happy to. Flirt a little." Catching sight of Ewan's consternated expression, she clarified, "Make him jealous."

"Saleh jealous still wouldn't _do_ anything! He'd smile and wish me well and that would be the end of it. He never gives a thought to his own happiness. His selflessness is one of the things I love most about him." He sighed; rolled onto his stomach. "One of the things I love, but also one I hate."

Tethys patted his shoulder. "That's why it's a good thing he has you, to look out for his happiness for him."

"I _wish_ he had me," Ewan muttered, dropping his chin onto his folded forearms. "Saleh's about as sexually attracted to me as he is to his breakfast."

"The bacon should be jealous," observed Tethys.

"I'm jealous of the bacon!" moaned her brother, "At least it's had physical contact with his mouth."

"And his digestive tract."

Ewan waved a dismissive hand. "Details. At this point I'd even welcome that."

"Oh, ew. That's really more than I needed to know," complained Tethys, poking him in the ribs. "But really, I think you need to go for it. I won't say 'no more beating around the bush' because, to further that analogy, Saleh is practically a twig and being aggressively forward would probably break his moral/asexual little mind. But don't pretend you aren't putting advances on him, because, I tell you, if ever there were a time and a place for it," she spread her hands wide about her and grinned, "This is it."

----------------------------------

I also must apologize for the quality of this chapter, since it is horrendously bad for the time it took to write it (the fact that it was being a bitch is part of why it took so long). This chapter really, really bothers me, but I couldn't figure out what was wrong with it or what to do about it, and I thought I'd delayed long enough. Next chapter is half-written, and I'm trying my hardest to make it turn out better than this.  
Constructive crit, particularly on plot/character development, would be _divine._


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